Baby food products sold by Nestlé and Danone are facing renewed scrutiny after a Greenpeace investigation detected microplastic particles in infant food pouches marketed under the Gerber and Happy Baby Organics brands.
According to the study, all tested samples contained measurable levels of microplastics, with Gerber pouches showing up to 54 particles per gram and Happy Baby Organics products recording up to 99 particles per gram. Researchers estimated that individual pouches could contain thousands of microplastic particles and also identified several plastic-associated chemicals in both packaging and food samples.
Greenpeace suggested that polyethylene linings commonly used in squeeze pouches may be contributing to microplastic migration into baby food, raising fresh concerns over plastic food-contact materials in infant nutrition products.
Responding to the findings, Nestlé said its products remain safe for consumption and that the company follows strict quality and food safety standards while continuously monitoring scientific developments related to microplastics. Danone also defended its products’ safety compliance but questioned the methodology used in the Greenpeace study.
The report is expected to intensify pressure on the infant nutrition industry to adopt safer packaging alternatives, improve transparency, and strengthen testing protocols for plastic-based food packaging. Industry experts believe the findings could also accelerate regulatory discussions around microplastic migration limits and food safety standards, particularly for products intended for infants and young children.